Objective
Make the lowest five-card ace-to-five hand from seven cards. Aces are low, straights and flushes are ignored, and pairs hurt. A-2-3-4-5 is best.
Setup and forced bets
Every player antes and receives two private cards plus one exposed card. A bring-in begins third-street betting.
Razz rules step by step
- 1
Post the antes
Every seated player contributes an ante before cards are dealt.
- 2
Deal third street
Each player receives two downcards and one upcard. Because Razz plays for low, the exposed high card is disadvantaged for the bring-in.
- 3
Deal fourth street
Each live player receives another exposed card, followed by fixed-limit betting.
- 4
Deal fifth street
A third exposed card arrives and the larger fixed bet begins.
- 5
Deal sixth street
A fourth exposed card arrives, followed by another betting round.
- 6
Deal seventh street
The final card is private. One last betting round follows.
- 7
Compare the best five-card lows
Use the lowest five of seven cards. Compare the highest card first; lower wins. Equal ranks move comparison to the next card.
Razz hand rankings: strongest to weakest
- Rank 1
Five-low (the wheel)
Best: A-2-3-4-5. Aces are low, and straights and flushes are ignored.
- Rank 2
Six-low
A five-card hand headed by a 6; 6-4-3-2-A is the best six-low.
- Rank 3
Seven-low
A five-card hand headed by a 7. Compare the next cards from high to low.
- Rank 4
Eight-low
A five-card hand headed by an 8. In eight-or-better games, this is the weakest qualifying low.
- Rank 5
Nine-low through king-low
Valid in Razz, but they do not qualify for an eight-or-better split pot.
- Rank 6
Paired hands
Pairs hurt the low. One pair loses to every five-card unpaired low.
- Rank 7
Two pair, trips, full houses, and quads
Repeated ranks make progressively weaker ace-to-five low hands.
Strategy and best tips
Start with three low cards
Three different cards headed by 7 or lower provide a strong foundation. Paired starting cards waste one rank.
Track live low cards
If the low ranks you need are visible in opponents’ boards, your chance to improve falls.
Attack rough boards
When your exposed cards stay low while opponents catch pairs and high cards, your visible advantage can win bets or folds.
Do not fear straights or flushes
They do not count against a Razz low. Focus on distinct ranks and the highest card in the five-card hand.
Control costs after bad catches
A paired or high upcard can reverse an advantage, especially once the larger fixed bet begins.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating an ace as high.
- Folding a low because it also forms a straight or flush.
- Ignoring paired ranks when comparing lows.
- Chasing when the low cards you need are already exposed.
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